Search

Abstract Autophagy, a cellular process where cells degrade and recycle their own components, has garnered attention for its potential role in psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia (SCZ). This study aimed to construct and validate a new autophagy-related gene (ARG) risk model for SCZ. First, we analyzed differential expressions in the GSE38484 training set, identifying 4,754 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between SCZ and control groups. Using the Human Autophagy Database (HADb) database, we cataloged 232 ARGs and pinpointed 80 autophagy-related DEGs (AR-DEGs) after intersecting them with DEGs. Subsequent analyses, including metascape gene annotation, pathway and process enrichment, and protein-protein interaction enrichment, were performed on the 80 AR-DEGs to delve deeper into their biological roles and associated molecular pathways. From this, we identified 34 candidate risk AR-DEGs (RAR-DEGs) and honed this list to final RAR-DEGs via a constructed and optimized logistic regression model. These genes include VAMP7, PTEN, WIPI2, PARP1, DNAJB9, SH3GLB1, ATF4, EIF4G1, EGFR, CDKN1A, CFLAR, FAS, BCL2L1 and BNIP3. Using these findings, we crafted a nomogram to predict SCZ risk for individual samples. In summary, our study offers deeper insights into SCZ’s molecular pathogenesis and paves the way for innovative approaches in risk prediction, gene-targeted diagnosis, and community-based SCZ treatments.

In response to the challenges posed by small objects, high noise, and complex backgrounds in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) ship detection, we proposed a lightweight model called SHIP-YOLO. In the neck of YOLOv8n, we replaced ordinary convolution (Conv) with a lighter ghost convolution (GhostConv) and introduced reparameterized ghost (RepGhost) bottleneck structure in C2f module. We then introduced Wise-IoU (WIoU) into the algorithm to improve the localization ability of the detection box. Finally, shuffle attention (SA) modules were added to the backbone and neck of YOLOv8n to enhance the perception capability of the target area. The results confirm that, compared with YOLOv8n, the proposed SHIP-YOLO on SAR Ship Detection dataset (SSDD) reduces the parameters and floating-point operations (FLOPs) by 17% and 11%, respectively, and improves the precision, recall, and mean average precision (mAP) (0.5) by 1.7%, 0.1%, and 0.2%, respectively. The proposed model also showed strong generalization ability on another Sar-Ship-Dataset.

As a typical deep learning technique, Graph Convolutional Networks (GCN) has been successfully applied to the recommendation systems. Aiming at the leakage risk of user privacy and the problem of fraudulent data in the recommendation systems, a Privacy Preserving Recommendation and Fraud Detection method based on Graph Convolution (PPRFD-GC) is proposed in the paper. The PPRFD-GC method adopts encoder/decoder framework to generate the synthesized graph of rating information which satisfies edge differential privacy, next applies graph-based matrix completion technique for rating prediction according to the synthesized graph. After calculating user's Mean Square Error (MSE) of rating prediction and generating dense representation of the user, then a fraud detection classifier based on AdaBoost is presented to identify possible fraudsters. Finally, the loss functions of both rating prediction module and fraud detection module are linearly combined as the overall loss function. The experimental analysis on two real datasets shows that the proposed method has good recommendation accuracy and anti-fraud attack characteristics on the basis of preserving users' link privacy.

Genetic breeding is an important approach to improve the economic traits of aquaculture animals. Unfortunately, the genetic basis for important economic traits of red swamp crayfish, including growth-related traits, has not yet been reported. In the present study, two full-sib families and two natural populations were employed to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for growth-related traits of red swamp crayfish. In total, 28 QTLs for five growth-related traits, including body weight, body length, carapace length, carapace width, and abdomen length, were repeatedly identified in more than two families/populations, by means of association analysis; nine of these displayed a heterosis effect. The phenotypic variations of the five investigated traits explained by the 28 QTLs ranged from 4.2% to 19.0%. Eight additive and three heterosis QTLs were further successfully validated using comparative analysis of favoured alleles between the small and big size crayfish groups in the natural population. In conclusion, this study investigated the genetic basis of growth-related traits in red swamp crayfish, which is of great significance for their application in the future molecular breeding of the species.

The floral color phenotypes of Osmanthus fragrans cultivars range from light yellow to orange yellow, with ‘Yanzhi Hong’ being the only reported cultivar with a red color. However, the underlying reason for this unique floral coloration remains unclear. The study conducted targeted metabolomics and transcriptomics analyses on the petals of ‘Yanzhi Hong’ at both initial and peak flowering stages. Candidate gene expression was validated, and expression levels of the petals of three cultivars were compared using RT-qPCR. The results revealed the presence of 27 components in the petals of ‘Yanzhi Hong’, including 5 carotenoids, 8 xanthophylls, and 14 xanthophyll esters. Notably, lycopene was detected in abundance for the first time in O. fragrans cultivars. Carotenes accounted for 78.82 ± 3.17% and 91.19 ± 1.69% of the total carotenoid content in petals during the initial and peak flowering stages, respectively, with all carotene contents increasing during the peak flowering period. β-carotene, lycopene, and γ-carotene were identified as the top three carotene components in petals during both initial and full flowering stages. The unique blush red color of ‘Yanzhi Hong’ petals could be attributed to the low content of α-carotene and the rich accumulation of lycopene. Furthermore, a total of 1550 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in petals at the peak flowering stage relative to the initial flowering stage, with 1003 genes being downregulated and 547 genes being upregulated during the full flowering stage. There are 926 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) annotated in the Gene Ontology (GO) database. Among these DEGs, those that were downregulated and upregulated during the peak flowering period showed significant enrichment in carbohydrate metabolism and oxidation–reduction processes, respectively. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis identified 14 structural genes associated with phenylpropanoid biosynthesis and 7 structural genes linked to carotenoid biosynthesis. Expression levels of candidate genes involved in carotenoid biosynthesis were examined in the petals of three cultivars (‘Yanzhi Hong’, ‘Liuye Jingui’, and ‘Gecheng Dangui’) at both the initial and peak flowering stages. The results indicated that the decreased expression of LYG009054 (LYCE) and LYG018651 (LYCB) in ‘Yanzhi Hong’ resulted in higher lycopene accumulation and lower α-carotene content in the petals. This study offers valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying the unique flower color phenotype of O. fragrans, proving a basis for further research on carotenoid metabolism pathways and the breeding of new cultivars with a variety of flower colors in O. fragrans.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the relationship between intraoperative hip arthrogram parameters and residual acetabular dysplasia (RAD) and avascular necrosis of the femoral head (AVN) in children with developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) treated by closed reduction.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the data of 102 patients (110 hips; mean age, 14.6 months ± 4.7 months) with DDH treated by closed reduction. A hip arthrogram was routinely performed during the operation. The femoral head coverage rate (FHC), medial pool distance of the hip (MPD), labral inversion, and reduction quality classification were evaluated under the hip arthrogram. The presence of RAD and AVN was assessed on radiographs at the last follow-up. The relationship between each arthrogram parameter and RAD as well as AVN was investigated using a t-test, chi-square test, and logistic regression.ResultsThe overall FHC and medial pool distance of the hip (MDP) averaged 42.2% ± 12% and 8.1% ± 11.7%, respectively. There were 80 hips (72.7%) with labral inversion and 30 hips (27.2%) without. The reduction quality was type A in 57 hips (51.8%), type B in 28 hips (25.4%), and type C in 25 hips (22.7%). A total of 32 hips (29%) were in the RAD group, and 78 hips (71%) were in the recovered group according to whether pelvic osteotomy was performed or not and according to the last Severin grade. The FHC was significantly higher in the recovered group than that in the RAD group (P = 0.014). No significant difference was observed in sex, age at reduction, side, preoperative acetabular index, International Hip Dysplasia Institute classification, follow-up time, quality of reduction, MDP, and proportion of labral inversion between the recovered and RAD groups. Logistic regression analysis showed that only the FHC was a risk factor for RAD. The incidence of AVN above type II was 11.8% in this group of patients, and the incidence of AVN was significantly higher in patients with labral inversion (23.2%) than that in those without (7.5%; P = 0.041). Logistic regression analysis showed that labral inversion was a risk factor for AVN.ConclusionThe FHC measured under arthrogram can predict the occurrence of RAD after closed reduction of DDH, whereas MDP, reduction quality classification, and labral inversion are of little significance. Labral inversion is a risk factor for AVN.

Stress and disease are critical factors hindering the industrial development of red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii). Breeding crayfish with stress- and disease-resistant characteristics can overcome these limitations and promote their industrial development. In this study, the crayfish breed F3, which exhibits rapid growth and a favoured haplotype combination of the immune genes R, ALF, and crustin2, encoding the Toll-like receptor, anti-lipopolysaccharide factor, and antimicrobial peptide, respectively, were selected as parents to breed offspring (the selected group (SG)). The genotype, stress resistance, and disease resistance of crayfish in the SG and unselected group (USG) were compared. The results showed that the ratio of the favoured haplotype was higher in the SG crayfish than in the USG crayfish, leading to stronger stress and disease resistance. Compared to that of the USG crayfish, the mortality of the SG crayfish subjected to stress during eight days of transport and challenged with bacteria (Aeromonas hydrophila or Vibrio parahaemolyticus) or white spot syndrome virus were significantly reduced by 60% and 20%, respectively (p < 0.05). Based on these results, the stress- and disease-resistant SG crayfish were named the “Huachizhen-1” breed. Additionally, the ratio of the unfavoured homozygous genotypes of R, ALF, and crustin2 sharply decreased, whereas those of the heterozygous genotypes increased together with stress and disease resistance during crayfish maturation under natural conditions, indicating that the heterozygotes of these genes also exhibit strong stress and disease resistance. All of this taken together, the crayfish breed “Huachizhen-1” may be applicable for improving stress and disease resistance and the production of crayfish.

Abstract Background The brain–gut–microbiota axis plays a role in the pathogenesis of stress-related disorders such as depression. In this study, we examined the effects of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in mice with antibiotic-treated microbiota depletion. Methods The fecal microbiota was obtained from mice subjected to chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) and control (no CSDS) mice. FMT from these two groups was performed to antibiotic-treated mice. 16S rRNA analysis was performed to examine the composition of gut microbiota. Furthermore, the effects of subdiaphragmatic vagotomy in depression-like phenotypes after ingestion of microbes were examined. Results The ingestion of fecal microbiota from CSDS-susceptible mice resulted in an anhedonia-like phenotype, higher plasma levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), and decreased expression of synaptic proteins in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in antibiotic-treated mice but not in water-treated mice. 16S rRNA analysis suggested that two microbes (Lactobacillus intestinalis and Lactobacillus reuteri) may be responsible for the anhedonia-like phenotype in antibiotic-treated mice after FMT. Ingestion of these two microbes for 14 days led to depression- and anhedonia-like phenotypes, higher plasma IL-6 levels, and decreased expression of synaptic proteins in the PFC of antibiotic-treated mice. Interestingly, subdiaphragmatic vagotomy significantly blocked the development of behavioral abnormalities, elevation of plasma IL-6 levels, and downregulation of synaptic proteins in the PFC after ingestion of these two microbes. Conclusions These findings suggest that microbiota depletion using an antibiotic cocktail is essential for the development of FMT-induced behavioral changes and that the vagus nerve plays a key role in behavioral abnormalities in antibiotic-treated mice after the ingestion of L. intestinalis and L. reuteri. Therefore, it is likely that the brain–gut–microbiota axis participates in the pathogenesis of depression via the vagus nerve.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common demyelinating disease that attacks the central nervous system. We recently reported that the new antidepressant (R)-ketamine could ameliorate the disease progression in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis model of MS. Cuprizone (CPZ) has been used to produce demyelination which resembles demyelination in MS patients. This study was undertaken to investigate whether (R)-ketamine could affect demyelination in CPZ-treated mice and remyelination after CPZ withdrawal. Repeated treatment with (R)-ketamine (10 mg/kg/day, twice weekly, for 6 weeks) significantly ameliorated demyelination and activated microglia in the brain compared with saline-treated mice. Furthermore, pretreatment with ANA-12 (TrkB antagonist) significantly blocked the beneficial effects of (R)-ketamine on the demyelination and activated microglia in the brain of CPZ-treated mice. The 16S rRNA analysis showed that (R)-ketamine significantly improved abnormal composition of gut–microbiota and decreased levels of lactic acid of CPZ-treated mice. In addition, there were significant correlations between demyelination (or microglial activation) in the brain and the relative abundance of several microbiome, suggesting a link between gut microbiota and brain. Interestingly, (R)-ketamine could facilitate remyelination in the brain after CPZ withdrawal. In conclusion, the study suggests that (R)-ketamine could ameliorate demyelination in the brain of CPZ-treated mice through TrkB activation, and that gut–microbiota–microglia crosstalk may play a role in the demyelination of CPZ-treated mice. Therefore, it is likely that (R)-ketamine could be a new therapeutic drug for MS.

Background: Betaine is known to act against various biological stresses and its levels were reported to be decreased in schizophrenia patients. We aimed to test the role of betaine in schizophrenia pathophysiology, and to evaluate its potential as a novel psychotherapeutic. Methods: Using Chdh (a gene for betaine synthesis)-deficient mice and betaine-supplemented inbred mice, we assessed the role of betaine in psychiatric pathophysiology, and its potential as a novel psychotherapeutic, by leveraging metabolomics, behavioral-, transcriptomics and DNA methylation analyses. Findings: The Chdh-deficient mice revealed remnants of psychiatric behaviors along with schizophrenia-related molecular perturbations in the brain. Betaine supplementation elicited genetic background-dependent improvement in cognitive performance, and suppressed methamphetamine (MAP)-induced behavioral sensitization. Furthermore, betaine rectified the altered antioxidative and proinflammatory responses induced by MAP and in vitro phencyclidine (PCP) treatments. Betaine also showed a prophylactic effect on behavioral abnormality induced by PCP. Notably, betaine levels were decreased in the postmortem brains from schizophrenia, and a coexisting elevated carbonyl stress, a form of oxidative stress, demarcated a subset of schizophrenia with “betaine deficit-oxidative stress pathology”. We revealed the decrease of betaine levels in glyoxylase 1 (GLO1)-deficient hiPSCs, which shows elevated carbonyl stress, and the efficacy of betaine in alleviating it, thus supporting a causal link between betaine and oxidative stress conditions. Furthermore, a CHDH variant, rs35518479, was identified as a cis-expression quantitative trait locus (QTL) for CHDH expression in postmortem brains from schizophrenia, allowing genotype-based stratification of schizophrenia patients for betaine efficacy. Interpretation: The present study revealed the role of betaine in psychiatric pathophysiology and underscores the potential benefit of betaine in a subset of schizophrenia. Fund: This study was supported by the Strategic Research Program for Brain Sciences from AMED (Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development) under Grant Numbers JP18dm0107083 and JP19dm0107083 (TY), JP18dm0107129 (MM), JP18dm0107086 (YK), JP18dm0107107 (HY), JP18dm0107104 (AK) and JP19dm0107119 (KH), by the Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas from the MEXT under Grant Numbers JP18H05435 (TY), JP18H05433 (AH.-T), JP18H05428 (AH.-T and TY), and JP16H06277 (HY), and by JSPS KAKENHI under Grant Number JP17H01574 (TY). In addition, this study was supported by the Collaborative Research Project of Brain Research Institute, Niigata University under Grant Numbers 2018–2809 (YK) and RIKEN Epigenetics Presidential Fund (100214–201801063606-340120) (TY). Keywords: Schizophrenia, Chdh, DNA methylation, Postmortem brain, Carbonyl stress, iPS cell

In recent years, the sludge produced by municipal sewage treatment plants has become an important recyclable resource for producing green building materials. After the systematic processing of incineration and particle formation, the sintered sludge can be processed into fine lightweight aggregate to produce building mortar with the controlled leaching of heavy metals and radioactivity. In this paper, to increase its economic and environmental benefits, mortar with sintered sludge aggregate was made by cement admixing of fly ash or limestone powder. The water-to-binder ratio was set at three levels—0.82, 0.68, and 0.62—and either flay ash or limestone powder was used to replace equal masses of cement at 10%, 20%, or 30%. Eighteen groups of mortar were studied to evaluate their workability, air content, compressive strength, tensile adhesive strength, dry density, and thermal conductivity. The results indicate that with a proper water-to-binder ratio, and the replacement ratio of fly ash or limestone powder, the mortar can be produced with good workability, consistency, water-retention rate, layering degree, and setting time. The mortar made with sintered sludge lightweight aggregate, designated by the mix-proportion method for conventional lightweight aggregate mortar, did not meet the target strength, although the compressive strength of mortar was no less than 3.0 MPa, which meets the strength grade M2.5. The tensile adhesive strength reached 0.18 MPa. The mortar was super lightweight with a dry density less than 400 kg/m3, and a thermal conductivity within 0.30~0.32 W/(m⋅K). The effects of water-to-binder ratio and replacement ratio of fly ash or limestone powder on the above properties are discussed with test results. The study provides a basis for using sintered sludge lightweight aggregate for building mortar.

This study used 454 pyrosequencing, Illumina high-throughput sequencing and metagenomic analysis to investigate bacterial pathogens and their potential virulence in a sewage treatment plant (STP) applying both conventional and advanced treatment processes. Pyrosequencing and Illumina sequencing consistently demonstrated that Arcobacter genus occupied over 43.42% of total abundance of potential pathogens in the STP. At species level, potential pathogens Arcobacter butzleri, Aeromonas hydrophila and Klebsiella pneumonia dominated in raw sewage, which was also confirmed by quantitative real time PCR. Illumina sequencing also revealed prevalence of various types of pathogenicity islands and virulence proteins in the STP. Most of the potential pathogens and virulence factors were eliminated in the STP, and the removal efficiency mainly depended on oxidation ditch. Compared with sand filtration, magnetic resin seemed to have higher removals in most of the potential pathogens and virulence factors. However, presence of the residual A. butzleri in the final effluent still deserves more concerns. The findings indicate that sewage acts as an important source of environmental pathogens, but STPs can effectively control their spread in the environment. Joint use of the high-throughput sequencing technologies is considered a reliable method for deep and comprehensive overview of environmental bacterial virulence.

Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae(hvKp) has a unique ability to cause organ or life-threatening tissue invasive infection in multiple sites. This case highlights that classical hvKp resulted in multiple abscesses in every body site, especially in the necrotizing fasciitis and osteomyelitis. The combination of antibiotics, drainage and debridement is essential for cure.

Epidemiological studies suggest that exposure to herbicides during pregnancy might increase risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in offspring. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the risk of ASD by herbicides such as glyphosate remain unclear. Soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) in the metabolism of polyunsaturated fatty acids is shown to play a key role in the development of ASD in offspring after maternal immune activation. Here, we found ASD-like behavioral abnormalities in juvenile offspring after maternal exposure to high levels of formulated glyphosate. Furthermore, we found higher levels of sEH in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), hippocampus, and striatum of juvenile offspring, and oxylipin analysis showed decreased levels of epoxy-fatty acids such as 8 (9)-EpETrE in the blood, PFC, hippocampus, and striatum of juvenile offspring after maternal glyphosate exposure, supporting increased activity of sEH in the offspring. Moreover, we found abnormal composition of gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids in fecal samples of juvenile offspring after maternal glyphosate exposure. Interestingly, oral administration of TPPU (an sEH inhibitor) to pregnant mothers from E5 to P21 prevented ASD-like behaviors such as social interaction deficits and increased grooming time in the juvenile offspring after maternal glyphosate exposure. These findings suggest that maternal exposure to high levels of glyphosate causes ASD-like behavioral abnormalities and abnormal composition of gut microbiota in juvenile offspring, and that increased activity of sEH might play a role in ASD-like behaviors in offspring after maternal glyphosate exposure. Therefore, sEH may represent a target for ASD in offspring after maternal stress from occupational exposure to contaminants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Intensive care is of great significance for very low birth weight infants (VLBWI). The Yangtze River Delta is the most ecomonically developed area in China. However, there are few data on the care practices and survival of VLBWI in this region. Objectives To investigate the prevalence, care practices and motality of VLBWI in Yangtze River Delta in China. Methods A multi-center retrospective investigation study was conducted at five tertiary hospitals within the Yangtze River Delta in China from January to December 2017. Clinical data included the general characteristics of the infants and the mothers, clinical prognosis, care practices in NICUs was collected by trained research members. Results During the study period, 1059 VLBWIs were included. Infants with birth weight

Grafting is an important agricultural practice to control soil-borne diseases, alleviate continuous cropping problems and improve stress tolerance in vegetable industry, but it is relatively less applied in pepper production. A recent study has revealed the key roles of β-1, 4-glucanase in graft survival. We speculated that the GH9 family gene encoding glucanase may be involved in the obstacles of pepper grafting. Therefore, we performed a systematic analysis of the GH9 family in pepper, tomato and tobacco. A total of 25, 24 and 42 GH9 genes were identified from these three species. Compared with the orthologues of other solanaceous crops, the deduced pepper GH9B3 protein lacks a conserved motif (Motif 5). Promoter cis-element analysis revealed that a wound-responsive element exists in the promoter of tobacco NbGH9B3, but it is absent in the GH9B3 promoter of most solanaceous crops. The auxin-responsive related element is absent in CaGH9B3 promoter, but it presents in the promoter of tobacco, tomato, potato and petunia GH9B3. Tissue and induction expression profiles indicated that GH9 family genes are functionally differentiated. Nine GH9 genes, including CaGH9B3, were detected expressing in pepper stem. The expression patterns of NbGH9B3 and CaGH9B3 in grafting were different in our test condition, with obvious induction in tobacco but repression in pepper. Furthermore, weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) revealed 58 transcription factor genes highly co-expressed with NbGH9B3. Eight WRKY binding sites were detected in the promoter of NbGH9B3, and several NbWRKYs were highly co-expressed with NbGH9B3. In conclusion, the missing of Motif 5 in CaGH9B3, and lacking of wound- and auxin-responsive elements in the gene promoter are the potential causes of grafting-related problems in pepper. WRKY family transcription factors could be important regulator of NbGH9B3 in tobacco grafting. Our analysis points out the putative regulators of NbGH9B3, which would be helpful to the functional validation and the study of signal pathways related to grafting in the future.

The superconducting coils of a 40-T hybrid magnet were designed with Nb3Sn cable-in-conduit conductors wound in layers or double pancakes, which are connected in series by joints. Two kinds of electrical joints have been designed for the different terminals of the superconducting coils. The “terminal joint” is for the joints between the terminals of the superconducting coils and the ends of NbTi buslines. The “interlayer joint” is for the joints between the layers of the coils. Two prototype joint samples have been manufactured, and their dc resistance tested. The joints' manufacturing process and test results are presented in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Mutual inductance and force calculations between coaxial Bitter coils and superconducting coils with rectangular cross section in a hybrid magnet system using derived semi-analytical expressions based on two integrations were performed. The mutual inductance and force calculations are based on the assumption of the uniform current density distribution in superconducting coils. The current density distribution of a Bitter coil in radial direction, however, is inversely proportional to the radius of the Bitter coil. The influence of the current density redistribution caused by a cooling hole and an inhomogeneous temperature distribution of Bitter coil of a water-cooled magnet was not considered. The obtained expressions can be implemented by Simpson's integration with FORTRAN programming. We confirm the validity of mutual inductance calculation by comparing it with a filament method, and give the accuracy of two methods. The mutual inductance values computed by two methods are in excellent agreement. The derived semi-analytical expressions of mutual inductance allow a low computational time compared with filament method to a specific accuracy. The force is derived by multiplying the currents of the two coils by their mutual inductance gradient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The High Magnetic Field Laboratory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences will develop a 40-T hybrid magnet. The superconducting outsert, which consists of a NbTi coil and a Nb3Sn coil, will provide more than 11 T of central field in a 580-mm bore. The superconducting coils will be wound of cable-in-conduit conductor (CICC) and cooled by flowing 4.5-K supercritical helium. A model coil of the Nb3Sn coil has been designed and will be manufactured to develop the technology of cabling, jacketing, winding, heat treatment, etc., and the model coil can also simulate the performance of the Nb3Sn superconducting coil under its operating conditions. This paper gives an overview of the conceptual design for the model coil and predicts its current-sharing temperature (Tcs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid detection of cocaine has received considerable attention because of the instantaneous and adverse effects of cocaine overdose on human health. Aptamer-based biosensors for cocaine detection have been well established for research and application. However, reducing the analytic duration without deteriorating the sensitivity still remains as a challenge. Here, we proposed an aptamer-based evanescent wave fibre (EWF) biosensor to rapidly detect cocaine in a wide working range. At first, the aptamers were conjugated to complementary DNA with fluorescence tag and such conjugants were then immobilized on magnetic beads. After cocaine was introduced to compete against the aptamer-DNA conjugants, the released DNA in supernatant was detected on the EWF platform. The dynamic curves of EWF signals could be interpreted by the first-order kinetics and saturation model. The semi-log calibration curve covered a working range of 10–5000 µM of cocaine, and the limit of detection was approximately 10.5 µM. The duration of the full procedure was 990 s (16.5 min), and the detection interval was 390 s (6.5 min). The specified detection of cocaine was confirmed from four typical pharmaceutic agents. The analysis was repeated for 50 cycles without significant loss of sensitivity. Therefore, the aptamer-based EWF biosensor is a feasible solution to rapidly detect cocaine.

For mechanical reinforcement against the huge Lorentz forces in high magnetic fields, epoxy resins are commonly used to impregnate high temperature superconductor (HTS) coils. Due to the different thermal expansion coefficients between the epoxy resin and the HTS tape, the contraction of the epoxy resin causes critical current degradation in the HTS coils during the cooling process. Alternative techniques, such as coils with no insulation, can avoid current degradation, however their structure has no reinforcement between layers. In view of this, we tried to apply the ice impregnation technique of pulsed magnets to HTS coils for the first time. HTS coils impregnated with ice could avoid critical current degradation after thermal cycles. Also, local heat pulse tests and overcurrent tests showed that the ice impregnated coil had better thermal stability than the epoxy impregnated coil. Moreover, the fabrication process of the ice impregnated coil is simple and economical. Meanwhile HTS tapes can be reused after impregnation. The ice impregnation technique is a promising prospect for high temperature superconducting coils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]